[No.  29 — Second  Series — 3000.] 


Indian  Rights  Association, 

1305  Arch  Street,  Philadelphia. 

\From  The  New  York:  Tribune,  February  24,  1896 .] 

HELD  UP  BY  THE  SENATE. 


INDIAN  SERVICE  SAID  TO  BE  SUFFERING 
FROM  PETTY  POLITICS. 


GEORGE  BIRD  GRINNELL  DENOUNCES  THE  PRACTICE 
WHICH  MAKES  GOVERNMENT  APPOINTMENTS  THE 
PERQUISITES  OF  UNITED  STATES  SENATORS. 


To  the  Editor  of  The  Tribune. 

Sir: — Whatever  may  have  been  the  mistakes  or  shortcomings 
of  the  present  Administration,  there  is  substantial  agreement 
among  persons  interested  in  such  matters  that  Indian  affairs  have 
never  been  so  well  conducted  as  during  the  last  two  or  three 
years.  The  Secretary  of  the  Interior  and  his  office  and  the 
Indian  Bureau  and  its  office  seem  to  have  made  an  honest  effort 
toward  a  better  treatment  of  the  Indians  and  a  more  business¬ 
like  conduct  of  Indian  affairs. 

The  aim  of  the  present  Indian  administration  has  been  to  get 
the  best  service  possible  out  of  its  employees ;  and  where  an 
individual  in  whatever  position  has  proved  himself  interested 
and  efficient  in  that  position,  an  effort  has  been  made  to  con¬ 
tinue  his  services  and  so  to  take  advantage  of  the  experience  that  he 
has  accumulated  in  his  past  work.  Where  practicable,  employees 
have  been  put  under  the  civil  service  rules,  and  the  man  who  has 
shown  himself  a  good  farmer  has  been  advanced  to  be  a  clerk, 
or  a  good  clerk  has  been  advanced  to  be  an  agent.  In  other 
words,  the  old  practice  of  turning  a  man  out  just  as  soon  as  he 


2 


had  learned  the  business  of  his  position  has  been  stopped,  and 
the  faithful  and  efficient  employees  of  the  Indian  Bureau,  like  the 
employees  of  a  great  corporation,  have  been  promoted.  The 
result  of  this  has  been  constant  improvement  in  the  class  of 
employees  and  a  more  efficient  service. 

All  this,  of  course,,  while  for  the  good  of  the  country  at  large, 
and  especially  for  the  good  of  the  Indians,  has  not  been  for  the 
good  of  the  spoilsmen  or  the  place-hunters,  and  the  result  of  the 
dissatisfaction  among  the  politicians  has  at  last  taken  the  active 
shape  of  neglect  or  refusal  by  the  Senate  to  confirm  many 
excellent  appointments  that  have  been  made. 

AN  ABUSE  OF  SENATORIAL  COURTESY. 

The  politicians  in  the  Senate  take  the  ground  that  the  offices 
in  connection  with  the  Indian  agencies  in  any  State  belong  to 
the  Senators  from  that  State.  Positions  under  the  Indian  Bureau 
for  agencies  in  Wyoming,  Nebraska,  or  one  of  the  Dakotas  are 
regarded  as  personal  perquisites  of  the  Senators  from  the  States 
in  which  the  agency  is  situated.  The  Senators  desire  such 
places  for  their  own  constituents,  for  the  men  who  do  their 
political  work,  who  blow  their  political  trumpets  and  beat  their 
political  drums  and  run  their  political  conventions.  A  man 
may  have  made  a  splendid  record  for  himself  as  sub-agent  at  an 
agency  in  Nebraska,  but  if  the  Indian  Bureau  promotes  him  to 
be  agent  at  some  place  in  Dakota,  the  Senate,  out  of  misnamed 
Senatorial  courtesy  for  the  Senator  from  Dakota,  declines  to  con¬ 
firm  his  appointment.  No  way  could  be  devised,  perhaps,  by 
which  the  real  improvement  of  the  Indian  Service  could  be  more 
discouraged  than  by  this. 

The  work  of  carrying  on  an  Indian  agency  is  a  business,  and, 
like  any  other  business,  it  will  be  most  successfully  conducted  by 
one  who  is  fitted  for  the  work  by  a  special  training.  That 
a  man  who  has  had  such  a  training  can  attend  to  it  more  effi¬ 
ciently  than  one  who  knows  nothing  of  it  and  has  everything  to 
learn  would  seem  to  be  self-evident.  .  A  man  whose  business 
education  has  been  that  of  an  architect  would  not  expect  sud¬ 
denly  to  take  charge  of  a  bank  and  at  once  become  a  great 
financier.  Moreover,  the  handling  of  Indians  requires  a  special 


mar  1  o  2000 


3 


experience,  for,  as  is  now  pretty  well  understood,  Indians  are 
very  different  in  their  ways  of  thought  and  in  their  point  of  view 
from  civilized  men.  Some  time  is  required  for  association  with 
and  study  of  Indians  before  their  mental  attitude  is  compre¬ 
hended,  and  until  one  has  reached  an  understanding  of  this 
attitude  he  misunderstands  and  is  misunderstood  ;  his  labor  is  in 
vain. 

It  is,  therefore,  highly  desirable  that  men  whose  records  show 
that  they  are  interested  in  their  work  among  Indians,  and  that 
this  work  has  been  efficient,  should  be  continued  in  their  places, 
and,  where  the  circumstances  justify  it,  advanced,  rather  than 
that  new  men,  of  whose  experience  and  fitness  nothing  is  known, 
should  be  appointed  to  the  places.  If  the  first  system  should 
be  honestly  carried  on  for  a  few  years  the  ranks  of  the  Indian 
Service  would  be  filled  with  a  selected  lot  of  public  servants, 
chosen  and  promoted  for  their  efficiency,  and  for  no  other 
reason,  and  the  result  of  such  a  selection  would  speedily  show 
itself  in  the  rapid  progress  of  our  Indians  toward  civilization 
and  self-support,  and  in  the  reduction  of  the  amount  of  money 
which  is  appropriated  for  their  subsistence  and  education. 


PAYING  POLITICAL  DEBTS. 

Yet  the  hardy  patriots  who  represent  us  in  the  United  States 
Senate  want  their  political  work  done,  and  in  some  form  or 
other  this  work  must  be  paid  for.  But  these  Senators  would 
never  think  of  paying  for  it  out  of  their  own  pockets.  They 
prefer  the  good  old  American  method  of  paying  small  political 
workers  by  small  offices,  and  so  hire  their  henchmen  to  be  paid 
for  services  to  them  by  Government  salaries  for  which  the.  hard¬ 
working  people  of  the  country  are  taxed.  Thus  work,  which, 
to  be  done  properly,  requires  honest  effort  and  an  active  interest, 
is  turned  over  to  men  who  want  the  positions,  not  so  that  they 
may  do  honest  work  in  them,  but  because  in  these  positions  they 
can  get  greater  salaries  for  less  work  than  in  other  callings. 

It  is  with  these  offices  just  as  it  has  been  with  others  in  this 
country  for  many  years,  and  the  old  story  has  been  told  a 
thousand  times ;  but  in  the  Indian  Service  the  employment  of 
bad  and  incompetent  men  does  greater  harm  than  in  other 


4 


branches  of  the  public  service ;  the  advancement  of  the  Indians 
is  indefinitely  put  off,  they  are  still  further  injured  by  the  added 
discouragement  which  each  year  of  retrogression  or  of  stationary 
condition  brings,  and  the  money  appropriated  for  the  purpose 
of  starting  them  in  the  way  of  earning  their  own  livelihood  is 
wasted. 

There  are  now  before  the  Senate  awaiting  confirmation  several 
appointments  of  Indian  agents  which  are  being  “  held  up,  ”  as 
the  phrase  is,  for  no  other  reason,  as  it  is  believed,  than  that 
the  different  appointees  do  not  come  from  the  States  in  which 
the  various  agencies  to  which  they  have  been  appointed  are 
situated.  The  history  and  qualifications  of  some  of  the  appointees 
are  worth  studying. 


CASES  IN  POINT. 

The  first  case  is  that  of  George  H.  Newman,  of  Fayetteville, 
Tenn.,  who  was  recently  appointed  agent  at  the  Colville  Agency, 
in  Washington,  to  take  the  place  of  Captain  J.  W.  Budd, 
relieved.  Mr.  Newman  was  appointed  in  March,  1894,  special 
agent  to  remove  the  upper  and  middle  bands  of  Spokane  Indians 
to  the  Coeur  d’Alene  Reservation,  in  Idaho,  according  to  an 
agreement  concluded  with  them  in  March,  1887,  and  ratified  by 
Congress  in  1892.  Since  that  appointment  he  has  been  engaged 
in  his  work  on  the  Spokane  and  Coeur  d’Alene  Reservations, 
and  he  finished  his  work  of  special  agent  in  August,  1895,  in  a 
manner  satisfactory  to  the  Indian  Office,  as  shown  by  the  last 
annual  report,  in  which  the  Commissioner  says:  — 

“  In  my  report  of  last  year  I  referred  to  the  work  then  in  pro¬ 
gress  of  removing  the  upper  and  middle  bands  of  Spokane 
Indians  to  the  respective  reservations  to  which  they  were  entitled 
to  go,  under  the  agreement  concluded  with  them  March  18, 
1887,  ratified  by  act  of  July  13,  1892  (27  Stats.,  120).  That 
work  has  since  been  finished,  and  in  a  manner  very  satisfactory 
to  the  office.  There  have  been  removed  to  and  located  upon 
the  Spokane  Reservation,  Washington,  199  Spokanes ;  on  the 
Coeur  d’Alene  Reservation,  Idaho,  27;  on  the  Flathead  Reser¬ 
vation,  Montana,  107,  making  a  total  of  433.  Those  removed 
to  Spokane  include  the  band  of  Enoch,  forty-two  in  number, 
and  those  to  Coeur  d’Alene,  Louie’s  band,  thirty-seven  in  num¬ 
ber,  who  were  very  reluctant  to  go.  Houses  have  been  built 
for  the  respective  Indian  families  at  a  cost  of  about  $200  each, 


5 


and  other  things  provided  for  in  their  agreement  have  been 
furnished  as  far  as  funds  were  available. 

“  Much  time,  trouble,  and  diplomacy  were  required  to  induce 
the  Indians  to  leave  their  old  homes  around  the  town  of  Spokane 
and  in  that  vicinity  and  accept  the  provisions  of  the  agreement 
ratified  so  long  after  it  was  concluded  with  them,  and  I  am 
gratified  to  announce  the  completion  of  the  work.  Now  that 
the  Indians  have  settled  upon  the  reservations  of  their  choice, 
selected  homes  for  themselves,  and  improved  the  same  with  the 
money  due  them,  it  is  thought  that  they  will  make  a  start  in  the 
direction  of  self-support  and  general  improvement,  and  mate¬ 
rially  better  their  condition.’ ’ 

Mr.  Newman’s  appointment  as  agent  was  petitioned  for  by 
the  Indians  of  the  Colville  and  Cceur  d’Alene  Reservations,  as 
well  as  by  citizens  of  the  city  of  Spokane.  The  appointment 
is  still  held  up. 

Another  case  is  that  of  John  C.  Keenan,  of  Indiana,  who  was 
appointed  agent  at  Neah  Bay  Agency,  in  Washington,  to  fill  the 
place  made  vacant  by  the  death  of  W.  L.  Powell.  Mr.  Keenan 
was  for  several  years  in  the  Indian  Service  in  Oklahoma,  and  in 
that  time  gained  much  valuable  experience,  which  makes  him 
peculiarly  fitted  for  the  duties  of  Indian  agent.  He  was  em¬ 
ployed  as  superintendent  of  the  Kaw  School  and  had  charge  of 
that  sub-agency,  having  general  management  and  supervision  of 
the  Kaw  Indians  during  the  administration  of  Thomas  P.  Smith 
as  agent  at  the  Osage  Agency,  Oklahoma,  in  1888-89.  Mr. 
Smith,  who  is  now  Assistant  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs, 
says  that  Mr.  Keenan  was  capable  and  efficient,  discharging  the 
duties  of  his  position  in  a  highly  satisfactory  manner,  and  is  an 
active,  straightforward,  and  energetic  man. 

He  was  recommended  for  the  position  of  agent  at  Neah  Bay 
on  account  of  his  efficiency  and  special  fitness  for  the  place,  his 
assignment  to  duty  at  Neah  Bay  being  in  the  nature  of  transfer 
and  promotion,  and  not  of  an  original  appointment.  The  salary 
of  the  agent  at  Neah  Bay  is  only  $200  a  year  more  than  that  of 
clerk  in  charge  at  the  Kaw  sub-agency.  The  responsibilities  of 
an  agent  are  much  greater  than  those  of  a  clerk  in  charge,  and 
for  this  reason  Mr.  Keenan  was  very  reluctant  to  accept  the 
change,  and  only  did  so  under  strong  pressure  from  his  superior 
officers.  He  has  been  in  charge  at  Neah  Bay  and  awaiting  the 


6 


confirmation  of  his  appointment  since  July,  1895,  and  his  ad¬ 
ministration  of  affairs  there  has  up  to  this  time  been  able,  conser¬ 
vative,  and  satisfactory  to  the  Indian  Office.  No  cause  except 
politics  is  known  for  the  continued  holding  up  of  this  appoint¬ 
ment. 

Luke  C.  Hays  was  appointed  last  September  agent  for  the 
Indians  at  the  Fort  Belknap  Agency,  in  Montana,  and  his  nomi¬ 
nation  is  still  awaiting  confirmation  by  the  Senate.  He  is  a 
Kentuckian,  and  was  first  appointed  as  overseer  at  Crow  Creek 
Agency,  South  Dakota,  in  March,  1886.  Later  in  the  year  he 
was  promoted  to  be  storekeeper  and  overseer,  and  resigned  from 
that  position  in  January,  1891.  In  July,  1893,  he  was  appointed 
clerk  in  charge  at  the  Lower  Brule  sub-agency,  and  served  in  that 
position,  having  general  management  and  charge  of  the  Lower 
Brule  Sioux  until  September,  when  he  resigned  to  take  charge  of 
the  Fort  Belknap  Agency,  Montana,  on  receiving  his  appoint¬ 
ment.  In  all  the  positions  which  he  has  filled  in  the  Indian 
Service  Mr.  Hays  has  shown  marked  ability,  and  his  services 
have  been  always  satisfactory  to  the  Indian  Office.  His  hand¬ 
ling  of  the  Lower  Brule  Sioux  was  remarkably  successful,  and 
they  made  great  progress  while  under  his  care.  His  appoint¬ 
ment  as  agent  -at  Belknap  was  not  sought  by  Mr.  Hays,  but  the 
Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs  recommended  him  for  the  place 
because  of  his  excellent  record  and  his  special  fitness  for  the 
position.  As  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Newman,  his  assignment  to 
duty  as  agent  at  Fort  Belknap  is  in  the  nature  of  a  transfer  and 
a  promotion  rather  than  an  original  appointment.  His  salary  as 
agent  there  is  only  a  little  more  than  he  received  as  clerk-in¬ 
charge  at  Lower  Brule. 

F.  Glenn  Mattoon  was  appointed  United  States  Indian  Agent 
at  Fort  Berthold,  N.  D.,  in  October,  1895,  and  his  appointment 
is  still  “held  up.”  He  was  appointed  to  take  the  place  of 
Captain  W.  H.  Clapp,  transferred  to  Pine  Ridge  Agency,  S.  D. 
Mr.  Mattoon  has  been  in  the  Indian  Service  since  the  summer  of 
1892,  having  been  appointed  farmer  at  Fort  Berthold  in  July. 
He  remained  there  as  farmer  until  March  1,  1894,  when  he  was 
appointed  chief  clerk.  Since  that  time  he  was  almost  continu¬ 
ously  at  the  agency  as  chief  clerk  until  his  appointment  as  agent 
last  October,  and  his  services  have  been  in  all  respects  highly 


7 


satisfactory.  When  it  was  known  that  Captain  Clapp  was  to  be 
transferred  to  Pine  Ridge,  he  wrote  to  recommend  Mr.  Mattoon 
for  the  position  he  was  leaving  in  the  following  words  :  “  Mr. 
Mattoon  is  thirty-five  years  old,  of  fine  address,  affable  and 
courteous,  and  has  intimate  knowledge  of  the  work  and  of  the 
individual  Indians  on  the  reservation.  If  appointed  agent  he 
will  carry  out  the  policy  pursued  by  the  present  Agent  without 
any  changes  or  breaks.  Having  in  view  the  welfare  and  pro¬ 
gress  of  the  Indians,  no  better  man  could  be  found  for  the 
place.” 

The  long-continued  delay  in  confirming  these  appointments  is 
utterly  without  good  reason,  and  greatly  hampers  the  Indian 
Office  in  its  efforts  to  conduct  the  Indian  Service  to  the  best  ad¬ 
vantage.  That  the  United  States  Senate  should  be  engaged  in 
such  small  business  as  hindering  the  betterment  of  the  Indian 
Service  for  the  sake  of  a  few  petty  offices  is  discouraging  enough. 
Yet,  while  it  seems  altogether  out  of  character  with  the  traditions 
of  that  august  body,  it  is  not  out  of  character  with  much  of  its 
conduct  in  these  latter  and  degenerate  days.  The  Indian  Service 
is  one  in  which  politics  should  play  no  part.  We  have  250,000 
people  whom  we  are  trying  to  make  self-supporting,  civilized, 
and  citizens,  and  this  work  should  not  be  hindered  by  peanut 
politics. 

GEORGE  BIRD  GRINNELL. 


New  York,  Feb.  21,  1896. 


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